Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, has been honoured with the Global Sustainable Leadership Award at the Global Sustainable Education and Leadership (G-SEL) Conference 2025, held at the House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, United Kingdom.

The two-day event, which drew senior policymakers, business leaders, and diplomats from across the world, recognised Komolafe’s exceptional leadership in steering reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and positioning Nigeria as a credible, transparent, and competitive energy investment destination.

Since assuming office, Komolafe has been instrumental in deepening Nigeria’s upstream regulatory transformation. Under his watch, the country’s rig count surged from just eight in 2021 to 69 as of October 2025 — a growth of more than 760 per cent. Revenue performance has also consistently exceeded government targets, with the Commission achieving surpluses of 18.3 per cent in 2022, 14.6 per cent in 2023, and an impressive 84.2 per cent in 2024.

Beyond fiscal success, NUPRC has recorded major milestones in host community development and indigenous participation. Local operators now account for over 30 per cent of Nigeria’s oil production, while the implementation of Host Community Development Trusts has begun to channel direct benefits from oil and gas operations to local populations, aligning with global sustainability standards.

Accepting the award, Komolafe dedicated the honour to the Nigerian people, describing it as a reflection of their resilience and the government’s commitment to reform.

“This award belongs to Nigeria. It recognises the courage and faith that drive our reforms in the upstream oil and gas sector. We are building a transparent, accountable, and investment-friendly system that reflects our national values and global aspirations,” he said.

Komolafe noted that the NUPRC’s strategy is anchored on three priorities — transparency, competitiveness, and sustainability — with an emphasis on maximising the value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources while advancing the energy transition.

We are not only regulating production. We are shaping the future of energy in Africa by ensuring that Nigeria remains a reliable supplier, a fair regulator, and a responsible global partner,” the NUPRC boss added.

The G-SEL London Conference 2025, themed ‘The intersection of innovation, sustainability and equity for energy access’, served as a major forum for global dialogue on the future of energy, education, and inclusive growth.

Komolafe’s recognition reinforces Nigeria’s growing reputation as an energy hub built on regulatory integrity, sustainable growth, and global partnership — a milestone that underscores the nation’s role in shaping the next phase of Africa’s energy future.

Other recipients of the Global Sustainable Leadership Award included Angela Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer of the World Energy Council; Jason Jackson, Mayor of Islington, London; Riad Meddeb, Director of Sustainable Energy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and Ben Parsons, Partner at Oakin Energy Transition Strategy, United Kingdom. Others were Macenje “Che Che” Mazoka, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Seema Malhotra FRSA, Member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston and Minister at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; and Joel Singh, Director at General Electric Company, United Kingdom.

The award also went to Hon. Dr. Toreria Moyo, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of Zimbabwe; Mr. Alex Wachira, CBS, Principal Secretary at Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum; and H.E. Dr. Morie K. Manyeh, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom — rounding off a distinguished roster of leaders honoured for their commitment to sustainable growth, inclusive governance, and energy transition across Africa and beyond.

‎A leaked audio has revealed an alleged plot by suspected political thugs in Lagos State to assassinate human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.

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‎In the audio, a man identified as Timileyin Ishola Olafimihan, popularly known as “Is Nothing”, was heard boasting about a standing order to attack and kill Sowore whenever he is spotted in Lagos.

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‎“If they catch Sowore, these people are not police, they are thugs. They are planning to kill him anywhere they see him,” the voice said.

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‎Olafimihan allegedly warned supporters and activists not to accompany Sowore on his next trip to Lagos, insisting that “the boys have been mobilised and paid to do the job.”

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‎The development reportedly followed Sowore’s active involvement in protests against the illegal demolition of houses in the Oworonshoki community in Lagos, which has displaced hundreds of residents.

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‎When contacted, however, Olafimihan denied the assassination plot, claiming the viral audio was taken out of context.

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‎“Don’t mind the audio. I was only joking, and the person I sent it to is like my neighbour. No thug is planning to assassinate Sowore,” he said.

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‎Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, on Monday, declared Sowore “wanted” after the activist led a protest at Oworonshoki against the ongoing demolitions.

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‎Speaking at the demolition site, CP Jimoh accused Sowore of “instigating unrest” and attempting to mobilise residents to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge.

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‎“I hereby, as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Police Command, declare Sowore wanted,” Jimoh said.

‎“I declare him wanted for the act of causing disturbance of public peace and an attempt to commit serious felony by planning and putting all the plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge to cause hardship for Lagosians and other Nigerians. We will not allow this to happen.”

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‎But, human rights lawyers Deji Adeyanju and Marshal Abubakar, condemned the Commissioner’s declaration, describing it as a “dangerous abuse of power” and a “blatant disregard for due process.”

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‎“The unilateral declaration of a citizen as ‘wanted’ by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police is therefore a dangerous disregard for due process and the rule of law. Such a police commissioner who does not understand this basic principle is not a fit and proper person to hold that office,” Adeyanju said in a statement.

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‎He further noted that declaring Sowore wanted for organising a protest was an attack on citizens’ constitutional rights.

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‎“Declaring Omoyele Sowore ‘wanted’ for organising a protest is not the defence of public order. It is a warning shot against the right to dissent,” he said.

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‎“The Nigerian Constitution itself guarantees the right to freedom of assembly, association, and expression. These rights were not granted by the police or any arm of government, they are inherent to citizenship.”

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‎Adeyanju added that only a competent court of law can declare a person wanted, stressing that the Commissioner acted outside the limits of his authority.

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‎“Only a competent court of law can make such a declaration, and it must be based on credible evidence and justifiable legal grounds,” he said.

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‎-Leadership

Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has been listed among leading continental experts invited to address the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in November 2025.

The invitation — extended to Komolafe in his capacity as both NUPRC Chief Executive and interim President of the Africa Forum for Petroleum Regulators and Frameworks (AFRIPERF) — marks a rare recognition of Nigeria’s leadership in upstream oil and gas reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament, in a letter dated October 17, 2025, invited Komolafe to deliver a paper on ‘Legislative Frameworks for Sustainable Upstream Regulation in Africa’s Oil and Gas Sector’ during the upcoming session.

“This topic explores how robust legislative reforms can advance sustainability in Africa’s upstream oil and gas operations, inviting insights from your leadership at NUPRC and as Acting Chairman of AFRIPERF,” the letter reads.

According to the Bureau, the Parliament looks forward to Komolafe’s reflections on Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and how its model of transparency, community inclusion, and investment-friendly regulation can guide continental efforts toward a harmonised energy governance framework.

The invitation noted that insights from Nigeria’s recent petroleum reforms would help PAP develop model laws across member states to improve transparency, environmental standards, and revenue fairness in the extractive sector.

This is the second time in recent years that a Nigerian public official has been invited to address the PAP’s plenary session — a platform traditionally reserved for African thought leaders and reformers whose work has contributed to the continent’s development agenda.

Komolafe’s recognition, observers say, underscores how far-reaching the impact of the PIA and its subsequent implementation has become under Tinubu’s reform-driven administration.

Since assuming office as NUPRC’s Chief Executive, Komolafe has championed a new culture of transparency and performance in Nigeria’s upstream sector. His leadership has been credited with streamlining licensing procedures, enforcing environmental accountability, and restoring investor confidence in the industry.

Under his watch, Nigeria’s crude oil production has recovered to around 1.7 million barrels per day, while gas flaring has been reduced to 7.16 percent — one of the lowest levels in two decades.

The PIA’s fiscal clarity and community development provisions have also improved relations between oil companies and host communities, setting new standards for responsible resource management.

The Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament said Komolafe’s address would form part of the session’s broader agenda to support the African Union’s Agenda 2063 — particularly its goals of inclusive growth, environmental protection, and energy transition across the continent.

Analysts view the invitation as a milestone not just for Komolafe but for Nigeria’s global reputation as a reform-minded energy leader. They argue that the Tinubu administration’s ongoing efforts to institutionalise transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector have repositioned the country as a credible voice in continental economic governance.

By being selected to address the plenary, Komolafe joins a distinguished circle of Africans whose work in regulatory innovation and sustainable development has shaped continental policymaking.

His participation is expected to strengthen collaboration among African energy regulators and advance the continent’s quest for a just and inclusive energy transition.